wordy wednesday: when pigs fly

Origin: In 1616 John Withals wrote in his book of proverbs, “Pigs fly in the ayre with their tayles forward.” It is speculated that, while other creatures have been used in this phrase, pigs are popular for the picture they create, this bulky creature achieving flight. In 1732 Thomas Fuller used a phrase more similar to the one above, “That is as likely as to see an Hog fly.” And in 1835Charles Whitehead used the currently popular phrase.